Dire Wolf
by Ngrasta
Summary: A -very- short story based on events that took place while playing MWO (Mechwarrior Online). This is an unlicensed work of fanfiction. Battletech is owned by The Topps Company, Inc. Mechwarrior Online is owned by Piranha Games.


AN: For clarity all mechs will be referred to by descriptive callsigns, eg: Assault DWF for a Dire Wolf (which would be pronounced as DeeWolf'. Force composition will also be modified for creative purposes.

* * *

The morning sun was rising over a beautiful, but unnamed beach. Whoever had lived here before had left no record of what it was called, and no one since had bothered to name it. Of course the beach was not why he was there, or why three lances of IS mechs were even now advancing from their dropzones some 3km away. No, it was the abandoned Titanium mine 5 klicks behind him that was the prize of the coming skirmish.  
Checking his weapons readiness once again, Ngrasta; Warrior of Clan Wolf, fidgeted in his seat. Privileged to pilot a massive Dire Wolf he had enough firepower at his fingertips to lay waste to an entire city, if he wasn't ambushed by a lance of light mechs first.  
"Assault DWF, assault DWF, this is Scout1. Contact five bandits grid G7. Count: three mediums, one... make that two lights. Checking profiles, Standby."  
The voice over the comms loud and sudden startled Ngrasta, but only for a moment. Months of training took over, and his voice was clear as he replied.  
"Scout1, this is Assault DWF. Copy your last."  
At last the waiting was over, now all that remained was the blessed clarity of combat.

Ten minutes later-

"...a trap! Lead us right into their heavy lance, we're falling back!"

"Scout-star regroup in sector I7. I will provide covering fire, while Heavy-Star secures our left flank."  
With those final words all forces were committed to battle. Even with the unfortunate loss of Scouts 2 and 5 to a well executed ambush, their forces were more than a match for the slower and shorter ranged IS mechs.  
Cresting A pile of slag, the Direwolf's sensors began to confirm targets; Jager, Centurian, Orion.  
"Scout1 I have hard locks on their heavy lance. You are clear to separate and harass." Orders given, Ngrasta turned his full attention to his targets. The Jager had already begun to fire. With It's AC-5s barely in range, it was little threat. The Orion was another matter. Armed with LRMs it wasted no time in filling the intervening space with dozens of armor piercing missiles.

'warning, incoming missiles' his battle computer chirped.

"Orion it is than" he muttered. With a hungry growl his quartet UAC-2s began to spin up; At the same time his mechs large lasers flashed, cyan energy lancing out with deadly intent.  
Too slow to evade, the Orion took both beams on it's left torso. A fraction of a second later the UAC rounds began to impact. Although less precise than his lasers, the volume of fire more than made up for the difference. The Orion and it's companions quickly moved into the cover of a nearby rock formation, with the Orion missing several tons of armor.  
"Heavy1 this is Assault DWF. you have targets at your 3 o'clock. Primary target is the Orion, secondary is the Centurian. Engage at will"  
Heavy-Star consisted of one Hellbringer and 4 Timber Wolves, all armed with SRMs. They would make short work of the enemy heavy lance. Trapped between his long range fire, and the devastating short ranged missiles of his heavy mechs, their foes destruction was assured.

The sudden roar of incoming fire broke his concentration. Sensors blared warning as a gauss round impacted his mech's center torso armor. Identifying the source took no time at all. An enemy Atlas had moved into the open; it's distinctive profile making it seem like a mythical beast emerging from the morning mist. A feral grin split Ngrasta's face. Opening his comms to all channels, he issued a formal challenge: "To all combatants; I, Star Captain Ngrasta of Clan Wolf, piloting the lone Direwolf, hereby invoke the ritual of zellbrigen and challenge the pilot of the Atlas to a duel of warriors. In this solemn matter let no one interfere!"  
As one his warriors shouted 'seyla!' Whether or not the opposing force honored the ritual made no difference to him. Glory and honor would be his today, and victory in this battle would follow. Confirming his weapons readiness, he target locked the Atlas. Now it was his turn to fire, and the enemy would not have long to regret it's mistake. Ngrasta growled in anticipation. it was time to feed his wolf.


End file.
